Stamp-canceling machine.



A; w; Tumi & R; c; cHlvLDsg-Jn. STAMP GANCELING MACHINE.-

APPLlCATION FILED MAR'IU."I9I6;

A hh.

A. W. TUTTLE & ELC.. CHILDS', Jn. sTAMP'c'ANcELmG wmcmms.AAPPLcATlVoN-HLED ma. lo. 1916.

Patented Mar. 12, 1918.

a SHEETS-SHEET a.

A. w. Tu'TTu-L L n'. c; CHILDS, In. STAMP cANcELlNG MACHINE. APPucATloNman MAR; lo'. |9136.

1,258,831. mm1 m12,1918.

wuefwtofos .EZ/bert Tuttle. @Obert 0f hdacn A. W. TUTTLE & R. C. CHILDS.In. STAMP CANCELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION mso ma. no. 1916-.

1,258,831. l Patented Mar.12,191`8.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

anal/IHN 1 A. W. TUTTLE & R. C. CHILDS, Ja. STAMP CANCELING MACHINE.-

APPLIzCATION FILED MAR. I0. 1916.

1,258,831. y Panfd Maf. 12, 1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

ALBERT W. TUTTLE AND ROBERT c. CHILDS', Jn., onHUTcHINsoN, KANSAS;

STAMP-CANCEIIING MACHINE.

Application filed MarchlO, 191.

the county of Renoand State of liansas,4

have inventcdf new and useful Improvements in Stamp-Canceling Machines,of which the following .1s a specification.

This invention relates to improvements inmachines for canceling thestamps on envelops and has particular application to any automaticallycontrolled power drivenf stamp canceling. machine.

ln carrying out our invention, We employ a chute design'edlto hold`theenvelops ina row with their longitudinal dimensions arranged acrossthe chut-e in combinationfw-ith aA canceling stamp adapted to .cancellthe stamps-on the envelops, while the latter are in horizontal position,and means arranged at the discharge endA of the chute andv opferable todeliver the envelopssinglyto the canceling stamp so that the stamps onthe envelops will be canceled.

It is also our purpose to'provide a stamp canceling machine wherein thecanceling` stamp and the delivery means will be motor driven, and themotor automatically cut outl of service succeeding thecanceling of thestamps on the envelops, thereby preventing waste of energy after allofthe stamped-envelops have been canceled.

Another object of our invention istopro- Vvide a machine of the classdescribed which will embody means operable automatically to arrange theenvelope in orderly fashion after the stamps thereon have been canceled,thereby enabling the canceled envelops to be removed from the machinequick-ly and easily.

With the above and other objects: in'view, the invention consists in theconstruction, combination and arrangement of partshere; inafter setforth inand falling within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying. drawings;

Figure 1 isa vertical sectional View through a machine constructed invaccord'- ance with the presentinvention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view thereof.

Fig. Sis a sectionalv viewV onftheline3"--3v of Fig. 1.

Fig. Y 4 `is aT sectional view' takenpon aplane parallel -with Fig. 1,illustrating the gearing' for operating the'v mechanism.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 12; 1918-;

seriaino. 83,387.

Fig. 5 is a sectional of Fig. l. v

.'Fig. 6- is a7 fragmentary longitudinal sectional view throughv thechute showing the circuit breaker for the motor.

Fig. 7 is a face view of'thefmeans for de livering the envelops to thecancelingstamp.

Fig. 8 isl a View in end elevation of the canceling: stamp.

F ig..9 is a transverse sectional view therethrough.

.Fig-'.10 is a top plan view of the same.

Fig.A 11 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional View throughthe canceling stamp.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary longitudinal sec# tional view throughthedeviceV for holding the envelope on Vthe chute. v i

Fig. 13 is a plan view of the envelop show'- ing: the stamp thereoncanceled.

Fig. 14 is av fragmentary verticalsectional View showing amodifiedformof the invention.

Fig. 15 is ar horizontal sectional view through the same.

Fig. 16 is a cross sectional viewshowing, a

modifiedform of cancelingzstamp.

Fig. 17 is a similar view showing a further modification -ofthe Ycanceling; stamp.

Fig. 18 is a viev;7 of a detail of the. mechanismillustrated inFigs.14;v and 15.

FigL1f9`is a detail view` showing. a modied form of the device forarranging. the canceledenvelops in a row. i

Fig..20 is a viewin elevation showing a modifiedl form of stampingroller.

F 21 is a view showing the envelop marked with the roller shown in Fig.20".

Referringnow to the drawingsinl detail, 1i designates a vertical casing.

opposite from the lirst-mentionedawall. The

last-mentioned wallof theV casingr 1 is of less height than theiirst-namedwall'V and.

resting. upon vthe upper `end of the lastnamed wall andl disposed belowthe board 2 is one endof aI chute 3 and arranged within thev chute 3 andcapable of sliding. movement therein isablock 4. Theupper ends of thewalls at right angles'to the wallsupporting..

the chutey 3 projectuupwardly above the board?. andarranged across theseupwardly view on vthe line 5-5 Arranged.l across the casing 1 at theupper end thereof plate 5.

roiectino' ortions and secured thereto at the upper ends thereof is avertical plate 5,V

while arranged below the vertical plate 5 and offset therefrom is asimilar plate 6 and having the lower portion thereof spanning the spacebetween the board 2 and the bottom of the chute 3, and the upper edgespaced apart from the lower edge of the Secured to the board 2 adjacentto the outer edge thereof and projecting upwardly and outwardlytherefrom are supporting arms 7 suitably spaced apart and mounted uponthe upper ends of the supporting arms 7 and fastened thereto is a chute8 inclined downwardly from the outer end thereof toward the plate 5 andhaving the lower end thereof secured to the plate 5. Formed in thebottom wall of the chute 8 is a longitudinal slot 9 and secured to thebottom of the chute is a casing` 10 preferably, althou not necessarily,formed of insulating material. VArr-ranged within the casing 10 arelongitudinal contact bars 11 spaced apart in parallelism, while slidablymounted upon the bottom wall of the chute S is a follower bloclr 12having the lower end thereof equipped with a depending pin 13 carrying ahorizontal bridging strip 14C adapted to bear upon the contact bars 11to electrically connect such bars. The block 12 is of a suitable lengthand the envelope carrying the stamps to be canceled are placed in thechute 8 in a row with their longitudinal dimensions arranged across thechute and the front envelop bears against the plate 5, while the backenvelop bears against the follower 12 and the follower acts to hold theenvelops closely packed and in proper order for removal from the chute.

Formed in 'the plate 5 are openings 15 spaced apart a distance less thanthe length of the envelope and journaled in the upwardly projectingportionsof the particular walls of the casing immediately behind theopenings 15 is a shaft 16 and fixed upon the shaft 16 are blocks 17adapted to rotate with the shaft and having the ends thereof rounded.These blocks work within the respective openings 15 and in the rotationof the shaft the rounded ends of the blocks engage the envelopssuccessively so as to slide the envelops downwardly along the plate 5out of the chute. Fastened to the bottom wall 9 of the chute at thelower end thereof is a block 18 having the side edge thereof contiguousto the end ofthe bottom wall of the chute formed with bores 19 spacedapart velops upon 'the chute and as the blocks 17 are rotated to deliverthe envelops from the chute the plungers 20 are forced inwardly Yagainst the action of their springs so as to release each envelop as thelatter is moved downwardly under the action of the rounded ends of theblocks on the shaft 16. These plungers and blocks cooperate with oneanother and form the delivery means for delii'fering the envelops fromthe chute and in tiis connection we wish it to be understood that thisstructure of the delivery means iay be changed and equivalent elementssubstituted for those illustrated without departing from the spirit ofour invention.

Journaled in the upwardly projecting portions of the frame 1 below theshaft 16 are horizontal shafts 22 and 23 arranged side by side anddisposed upon opposite sides of the plate 5 below such plate and abovethe plate G. Fastened upon the shaft 22 is a circular canceling stamp 24and a roller 25 spaced apart from the canceling stamp, while fixed uponthe shaft 23 are rollers 26 spaced apart and having the peripheriesthereof in engagement with the peripheries of the canceling stamp andthe roller 25 respectively. The ends of the shaft 23 are mounted inslots formed in the upwardly projecting portions of the casing andsecured to the inner surfaces of such portions of the casing are guides27 in which are mounted blocks 28 respectively and the end portions ofthe shaft 23 are mounted in these blocks. Arranged within each guide 10027 is a coiled expansion spring 29 having one end bearing upon theparticular block 28 and the other end in engagement with a take-up block30 connected with an adjusting screw 31 threaded through the end of the105 guide remote from the block 2S. These springs 29 bear upon theblocks 2S to force the shaft 23 toward the shaft 22 so that the rollers26 willA frictionally engage the peripheries of the cancelingstampandthe 110 roller 25, while the tension of the springs may be varied bymeans of the adjusting screws 31 and the take-up blocks 30.

Arranged behind the canceling stamp 21 and frictionally engaging suchstamp so as 115 to rotate therewith is an inlring roller 32 rotatablymounted in the reservoir 33 mounted upon a plate 33 secured to one ofthe upwardly projecting portions of the casing by means of a bolt 34:passed through a 120 slot in the plate 33 and an lopening in theupwardly projecting portion of the casino'. yl`he reservoir 33 preventssplashing of the ink and is formed with a slot contiguous to thecanceling stamp so that the latter may 125 frictionally engage theinking roller.

Journaled in the casing 1 is a transverse shaft 37 arranged below theboard 2 and keyed upon the shaft 37 is a bevel gear 38 meshing with asimilar gear 39 fast upon 130 'one end of :a horizontal shaft 461arranged at rightangles to ythe shaft 37 and journaled in ysuitablebearings. Fixed Upon the yShaft 40 `is a spiral 4carrier 41 working inan opening formed at'tliejuncture of the plate 6 with Athe bottom wallofthe chute 3 and disposed'in line with the space between the cancelingstamp 24 the roller 25.

arranged Within ,th Ces/iesl l is an eleebri motor 34 and lixed upon thearmature shaft of said motor is a spur gear 35 meshing with a relativelysmall similar gear 36 upon the shaft 37. The spur gear 36 meshes with anidler gear 42 rotatably mounted upon a stub shaft 43,. Meshing with theidler gear 42 is a pinion l4 4 fast upon the adjacent end of the shaft22 and this pinion 4 4 mesheswith apinion 45 fixed upon the shaft 23 sothat the shafts 22 and 23 will rotate simultaneously in oppositedirections. The pinion 4 4 also .meshes with a pinion 46. looselyImounted upon a stubl shaft 47 ,j while fixed upon the shaft 16 is apinion 48 meshing with the pinion 46.

I n the use of the `machine, the envelops are placed in the chute8l aspreviously described and thel follower 12 forces the envelops downtoward the lower end of the chute.V The motor 34,y when in operation,`

rotates the gear wheel 35, thereby transmitting motion through the gearwheel 36 to the shaft 37 and through the gear wheelj42 to the pinions44v and to the pinion 48. 4 In the operation ofthe motor, the bloclrs16are rotated todeliver the envelops singly from the chute 8 tothecanceling stamp. and asy the envelopsV leave the chute they drop" into.position, between the canceling stamp 24and the coperating roller 26andthe roller, 25 and, cooperating roller 26 and as the canceling stampVand thevrollers 25 and 26 are revolving, the envelopsare fed downwardlyto the carrier 41 andin the passage of the envelops through thecanceling` stamp andv the` rollers 25 and 26 the stamps on the envelopsare canceled. As the envelops drop into the carrier 41, the latter beingdriven from the shaft 37, moves the envelops in regular order outwardlyalong the chute 3 against the block 4, thereby keeping the envelops inorder.

In the downward movement of the follower block 12 along the chute 8, thebridging strip 14 rides over the contact bars 11 and these bars areconnected in circuit with the motor 34 and as soon as the block 12reaches the limit of its downward movement the strip 14 disengages thebars 11, thereby breaking the circuit of the motor.

In Figs. 8, 9, 10 and 11 of the drawings, we have shown the detailconstruction of the canceling stamp and this stamp, in the presentembodiment of our invention, embodies a drum 51 formed at diametricallyopposite points with recesses and set into these recesses are plates p52 .carrying type 53 arranged in rows in proper order to print anydesired indicia on the envelops. Formed on the periphery of .the drum 51in alinement with the respective rows of type on the plate are ribs 54that receive ink from the inking roller to mar the stamps on theenvelops.

In this instance, the type carrying plates 52 i are dovetailed into therecesses and are secured therein by means of levers 55 pivoted upon oneend of the drum 51 and movable into engagement with the adjacent ends ofthe plates. In the rotation of the canceling stamp the ribs and typemark the envelop` of the shaft 22, thereby delivering two envelops tothe canceling stamp in each revolution of such stamp, and as the stamp`embodies two printing plates arranged at diametrically opposite points,stamps on both envelops will be canceled in revolution of the shaft 22.

If desired, the canceling stamp may be equipped with but one typecarrying plate, as illustratedv in Figs. 14- and 16 of the' drawings,and means may bev employed to hold the-envelop in positionk between thecanceling stamp andthe cooperating rollers 25 and 26 until the typecarryingr plate is in position to engage the envelop. In the presentinstance,` this holding means comprisesY vertical armsI 56 having theupper ends thereof pivoted to brackets`57 carried by they plate 5adjacent tofthe lower edge thereof.- and, spaced apart, and the lowerends formed with right angular lugs 58 and lying adjacent tothecanceling stamp 24 and the roller 25 respectively. Interposed betweenthe, plate 5 and the arms 56 are expansion springs 59 acting to hold thelugs 58 normally out of the path of movement of the envelop. Fixed tothe shaft 22 are cams 60 designed to engage the lower end portions ofthe arms 56 respectively to swing such arms against the action of thesprings 59 to move the lugs 58 into the path of the envelops in theirtravel from the de-l livery means to the canceling stamp. In practice,the arms 56 are heldv normally in a position to hold the lugs 58 out ofthe path of movement of the envelops and when an envelop is deliveredfrom the chute by the blocks 17 the cams 60 swing the arms 56 to movethe lugs 58 into the path o-f movement of the envelops so as to hold thelatter in position until the canceling stamp is about to engage thesame. When the canthe complete celing stamp is in juxtaposition to theenvelop the cams 60 release the arms 56 and the springs 59 react tovrestore the arms to normal position, thereby permitting the envelop tobe passed between the canceling stamp and its coperating rollers so thatthe stamp on such envelop may be canceled.

rlfhe canceling stamp shown in Figs. 14 and 16 is equipped with only onetype carrying plate and is relatively small in diameter. lf desired, thecanceling stamp maybe increased in diameter and two type car-V ryingplates secured thereto, as shown in Fig. 17 of the drawings,and whenthis type of canceling` stamp is employed'in connection with the holdingmeans just described, the shaft 22 is equipped with diametricallyopposed cams 61, as shown in Fig. 18, and these cams operate the arms 56twice in each revolution of the shaft 22.

In Fig. 13 of the drawings, there is illustrated an envelop having itsstamps canceled with the die shown in Fig. 10, this cancellationextending across the entire end of the envelop, having the printedmatter centrally arranged, with the canceling lines a arranged upon eachside of the printed matter, so that the stamp will be canceledirrespective of its position to this end ofl the envelop. ln Fig. 21there is illustrated a fragmentary portion of the envelop with thestamps shown canceled thereon by the die shown in Fig. 20. in this form,the canceling lines Z9 are arranged at one side of the printed matter,these lines and the said printed matter occupyinga portion of the upperright corner of the envelop.

In Fig. 19 of the drawings, we have shown a four pointed wheel 62adapted to be used in lieu of the spiral carrier 41 and V this wheel 62is rotated upon a shaft 40 driven by suitable gearing from the shaft 40and acts to feed the envelope along the chute 3 in the continuedoperation of the machine.

While we have herein shown and described certain preferred forms of ourinvention by way of illustration, we wish it to be understood that we donot limit or confine ourselves to the precise details of constructionherein described and delineated, as modification and variation may bemade within the scope of the claims and without departing from thespirit of the invention.

We claim: f

l. In a stamp canceling machine, a chute adapted to hold the envelope ina row, a follower block therein, contact bars beneath said chute, andforming one terminal of an electric circuit and an electric terminalcarried by said follower block and adapted to travel over said bars,said bars terminating short of the said chute, whereby, when the chuteis emptied the circuit will be broken.

2. ln an electrically operated stamp cancelinp; machine, a chute, afollower block therein adapted to feed the envelops along said chute, anelectric circuit, operating mechanism controlled by said circuit, acontact element carried by said block and forming one terminal of theelectric circuit, spaced contact bars located in the path 0f travel ofsaid element and adapted to be bridged thereby, said bars forming theother terminal of said circuit, and terminating short of the length ofthe chute, whereby, the circuit will be broken upon the follower blockreaching the delivery end of the chute.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence 0f twowitnesses.

ALBERT W. TUTTLE. ROBERT C. Cl-HLDS, JR. l/Vitnesses: e

JOSEPH l?. FARLEY, ORREL D, GARDNER.

Copies. of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, ID. C.

